After making their debut last year, Gloucestershire metal five-piece Proteus have gained a large UK following with a blend of complex riffery, melodic chrouses and powerful breakdowns, as well as live performances that are both hard-hitting and highly energetic.

At the end of January, the band released a single, ‘Ignite The Pyres’, to a positive response, even going viral in Vietnam.

I caught up with them recently when they were in Derby, playing St Paddy’s Revenge at The Hairy Dog as replacements for local hardcore/beatdown outfit This.Is.Hate, and the quintet had much to say:

How did the band get together?

WILL PACKER (guitar/vocals): We had all been in various different projects, going back a few years. Everybody then took a bit of a break to focus on their personal lives, and then me and Tommy, who I’ve known since we were in our early teens, wanted to start a band again.

I produced a demo, which I then sent over to him and a couple of the other guys. He liked it, and we decided to move forwards from there. Dan was someone we had come across on the interweb, and he came in, then Jake joined about a month later.

Originally, I was the band’s lead vocalist, doing clean vocals and screams, but I soon realised that we needed a fuller sound, and doing the vocals and playing the guitar was going to limit me in what I wanted to do, so we decided to search for an outside vocalist, and that’s when we came across Shane.

He sent a demo over to us, and his vocal delivery was what we wanted, so he came in, we became a full line-up, and we’ve all been inseparable since, so yeah, it’s been good.

SHANE PARGETER (vocals): I joined in April of last year, and I think the rest of the guys had formed that January.

WILL: Yeah.

How did the name Proteus come about?

WILL: Aah! I knew you were going to ask this one. The band name has actually got a few different meanings, but the one that we decided to go with, and it was quite a selective process, we always had this sort of nautical theme, tattoos and all that, growing up, and I’ve personally always been heavily interested in mythology, and as you do when you’re starting up a band, we pulled out a whole string of names, and one of them was “Proteus“, which means an old Ancient Greek shape-shifting sea god, and that to us was like, “This is exactly what we want to stick on the front end of the band”, because we thought we could throw all sorts of ideas behind it, and it wouldn’t matter whether we decided to change our sub-genre or sound, as it still sits as this prophetic shape-shifter, so that’s why we chose Proteus.

SHANE: It’s worked out really weird, because my stepdad was in the police force back in the 70’s, and he worked at Camp Proteus (a former police training facility in Nottinghamshire), so that was just so weird.

What are the band’s main musical influences?

WILL: I would say it’s probably Machine Head, Lamb Of God, Trivium, Killswitch Engage, a small amount of Periphery. For me, I would say there was a bit more of a death metal vibein there as well, but those are the most predominant influences, I think.

SHANE: It’s just a huge mix-up for us, to be honest, but at the same time, we have our own unique sound, which is brilliant.

DAN ARMSTRONG (bass): Our influences kind of stem from our own individual musical backgrounds, so each member of the band brings their own style to proceedings.

What would you say was your approach to songwriting?

WILL: Our songwriting approach is a little different to what I’ve done before.

Predominantly, what we end up doing is rather than just coming up with a riff and basing everything around that, we try to think first how atmospheric and emotional the song will be, then try and put ourselves into that sort of mindset, and hit it from there.

From a simple chorus, it will then expand rapidly and flow neatly into place, so yeah, I would say we try to find the emotion first, then use that to drive the riff.

What inspires the band lyrically?

SHANE: Basically, before writing down any lyrics, I like to hear more of the song, because the sound of it will affect the way I write.

I mainly write the lyrics based on that, and also the way I’m feeling at the time, but luckily enough, over the years, I’ve done a lot of material that I’ve never really used, which I have then been able to bring to this band, and that’s been really useful, especially through having had my own space in practice rooms to write, more so with the music rather than for it.

WILL: Yeah. To add to that, I think a lot of us have really wanted to be more uplifting in terms of our approach, because we don’t want our music to be your stereotypical doom and gloom, which is something you would kind of expect from a metal band.
We try to make sure everything is just that little bit more positive, even when we’re creating something that’s raw-touching, there’s always a release of anger, and a bit of a “lift-me-up” vibe.

SHANE: You will probably see and hear that with our set later, it can get rather dark, but then at the same time, we’ll be bouncing around. However, as long as you enjoy our music, that’s the main thing.

At the end of January, you brought out a single, ‘Ignite The Pyres’. How was the recording process for that?

WILL: The recording process was fantastic. We recorded it with Ben Gaines here in Derby.

SHANE: Was it snowing then?

WILL: Yeah, it did actually, on the last day of recording.

We had this kind of fledgling idea of a track, we actually wrote ‘Ignite The Pyres’ last October, so we developed it and then sent it over to Ben, saying to him, “Hey, we’ve got this idea, and this is what it sounds like at the moment, but we want to make a few tweaks here and there.”

Being the amazing producer that he is, I think he only made about two changes, and they were both very minute, enough to add just that little bit more tension to the track.

As we’re Gloucestershire-based, and Ben is based up here in Derby, we first sent Jake, Dan and Tommy, then me and Shane came up later, and by the time we got here, Dan had already absolutely hammered the bass, laying it down perfectly in time for Jake to jump on and nail the guitar, do my part, and then Tommy hit the drums, which to be fair, was a real smooth transition.

It all managed to be laid down in just a couple of hours, and then, it was on to the vocals, which is where we got all of the texturisation, layers and that, so yeah, the whole process was an easy one, which made us very comfortable. It was a really good experience.

We’re actually going back to Ben to record our debut EP, and that will be in the next couple of months, just purely because the process was just so fantastic.

How has the reaction been to the single so far?

WILL: It’s been really well-received. We’ve had a lot of good feedback, and we’ve also managed to book a lot of shows off the back of that. The single’s success has resulted in a lot of interest, and a rapid rise in both our popularity and fan base.

Our social media reach has doubled since the track came out, and surprisingly for us, it went viral in Vietnam, which was interesting. We all went to sleep one night, and the reach had got to a certain point, then when we woke up the following morning, we saw that it had been pushed through quite heavily over there. We’d had something like 300, 400 likes, so that was really good.

However, there has been, I wouldn’t say negative feedback, but we’ve had some constructive criticism, which, honestly, we want to hear as the band evolves and continues to grow.

The band have already gained a large UK following, having played across the country with the likes of Fathoms and The Uncharted. How has the experience been, for you all, of playing live?

WILL: I mean we have played live for a number of years, both with this band and the other bands we were in before, so it’s something we’re not exactly adverse to.

For me, I remember the first time I played live, I shat myself through the entire thing, but then as I did it more, I realised what a fantastic thing it is, and now, it’s pretty much the number one thing, for me, about being in a band.

DAN: I’m not going to lie, though, playing live in this band is a lot different to what it was for me in the past, having come from a soft rock background. Playing with these guys makes you feel the music a lot more.

SHANE: My first ever live gig was last August, and I fucking loved it. It was something I will always remember, and I can’t wait to see what we’re like live in the future.

I quickly became attached to this band, and I think that’s why we have such a good time live, because all of us are now close friends. We very rarely fall out, we make sure we really enjoy ourselves, and I think that’s what our fans love about us.

Hopefully, it will be the same later today.

You mentioned earlier that you will soon be recording your debut EP. When are you aiming to get that out by?

WILL: At the moment, we have a rough aim for the EP’s release. I would say probably June, July.

SHANE: We do have a lot of material, so I would say towards the end of this summer.

What else has the band got lined up for the rest of 2018?

SHANE: We’re playing Amplified Open Air in Gloucestershire this July, we’ve just played our first local Bloodstock Metal To The Masses heat, where fortunately, we have got through to the local semi-final, which is great.

We’ve also got a lot of gigs coming up, which we’re thankful for, because since last August, we’ve had lots of gigs offered to us, people coming up to us, just like today, and asking if we could fill a vacant slot.

WILL: I think we’re going to be playing a string of shows around Manchester towards the end of this year, a couple of short and weekender tours, which we’re quite excited about, so yeah, it will give us a chance to just enjoy being out on the road.

‘IGNITE THE PYRES’, THE LATEST SINGLE FROM PROTEUS, IS NOW AVAILABLE TO STREAM, DOWNLOAD OR PURCHASE. INFO ON WHERE YOU CAN DO THAT CAN BE FOUND BELOW:

Lilith And The Knight are surely one of the most visually captivating bands on the UK rock scene. Assisted by a technically superb trio blazing a trail through the landscape, Lilith’s mesmerising vocals and contagious refrains set the band apart from the pack.

The up-and-comers will be releasing their brand new single, ‘Fallen’, on Friday 4th May, and the song will also be accompanied by a supremely powerful and hauntingly atmospheric video that is a ideal compliment.

Reared on Black Sabbath and The Beatles, the London four-piece produce a hypnotic blend of hard rock rammed with ferocious and driving riffs and a thunderous backbone.

In vocalist Lilith, the group have a truly unique character, as outside of the band, she spends her time volunteering in Namibia – working with children with AIDS, as well as performing as a competitive pole dancer. Helping the needy, and swinging on a pole, demands strength in all capacities.

After their inception in 2015, the band released their debut single, ‘Wake Up’, to much support and praise. The single was playlisted by Total Rock for over six
weeks, and it firmly placed the emerging hard rockers on the map.

They continued their surge with their debut EP, ‘Insanity’, which garnered acclaim
from Moshville Times, Metal Gods TV, Mayhem Music magazine, and Metal Talk, to name just a few, and the quartet also dropped a video for the EP’s title track, which only furthered their growth and reach.

Now with an army of followers in tow, the release of their new single, and touring plans for the remainder of 2018, Lilith And The Knight will take over your world.

‘FALLEN’, LILITH AND THE KNIGHT’S NEW SINGLE, WILL BE RELEASED ON MAY 4.

Influenced by the likes of Pvris and Hands Like Houses, Buckinghamshire six-piece As Everything Unfolds specialise in a fusion of post-hardcore and alternative rock.

Last year, the band brought out their debut EP, ‘Collide’, and standalone single, ‘Centuries’, to great reviews, and they have also impressed many with loud and energetic live performances.

The collective stopped by in Derby recently, as part of a four-date weekender with London-based alternative rockers Greyhaven, where they gave me an insight into their inner workings in a compact backstage room strewn with musical instruments and technical equipment.

How did the band get together?

ADAM KERR (guitar): It started off as an acoustic sound project with me and our ex-guitarist, Alex Paton. We then got in Jon on drums, George on bass, and then we had Alex Meredith, our ex-vocalist, come in. We recorded an EP, which sounded cool, but then Meredith left, and that’s when Charlie joined for the first time.

We recorded another EP, and then Charlie left, Paton became the vocalist in addition to being the guitarist, then Owen joined after we got rid of Paton, then Charlie came back in, then Jon told us that he didn’t want to play the drums any more, so he switched to playing keyboards, and that’s when Liam came in, and now, here we are.

How did the name As Everything Unfolds come about?

GEORGE HUNT (bass): We were trying to come up with names, and me and Adam came up with something really terrible, which at the time, we thought was really cool, but Paton, he hated it, and he said to us, “If you don’t come up with anything better right now, we’re going with As Everything Unfolds“, and we actually thought, “Yeah, that sounds better!”

What would you say was your approach to songwriting?

ADAM: I write a lot of the music, and then everybody else kind of has their say on it, see what’s what.

CHARLIE ROLFE (vocals): I do the vocal melodies and the lyrics, Adam will create a kind of like backbone for it, which everyone will then work around.

LIAM BURGOYNE (drums): Even though I wasn’t there for it, I can only imagine the previous line-up was more collaborative.

ADAM: I actually disagree with that.

GEORGE: Yeah, I know we do pretty much the same as before, because I do write my own parts, and Jon writes his parts as well.

ADAM: No, I think what Liam meant to say was it was a more collaborative effort when Paton was in the band. Do you remember, Charlie, when you, me, and Paton used to sit down together and write songs?

CHARLIE: Yeah, it’s only just now, we write differently, that’s all.

ADAM: It’s more effective that way.

What inspires the band lyrically?

CHARLIE: Mainly personal stuff. I mean we have written a few conceptual songs, but it’s easier to write about more personal experiences and things, but I hope what I write is reflective of what other people think, because a lot of it is about getting over stuff, leaving people behind who just aren’t worth your time, things like that.

Last year, you brought out your debut EP, ‘Collide’, to great reviews, most notably from Metal Hammer. When recording it, did you expect the response that it got?

LIAM: Honestly, I don’t think we knew what kind of reaction that it would get, because I joined the band halfway through the recording process, and everything had pretty much been done, but it was still clear that the band were trying to take a different direction to the one they had been heading in before.

I didn’t even know what that was, but I could see, in you guys, that you wanted something that was going to be taken a lot more seriously.

The Metal Hammer thing was really great, and we also had some good reviews done of the EP by some smaller online magazines, as well as us doing a few interviews, like with GigRadar, who have come to two of our London shows, and said some really nice things about us.

It’s good to have someone who really seems to understand what you’re trying to say.

ADAM: Yeah, I just want somebody to slag us off! It’s the only thing I want!

The band are playing at St Paddy’s Revenge in Derby later today, as part of a weekender with Greyhaven. How did that come about?

OWEN: We played with them in our home town of High Wycombe, and we all knew that they had played some great shows, so we went over to them, and started chatting.

It came about rather simply, actually. Alex Hills, Greyhaven’s guitarist, put up a post on Facebook, asking if there were any bands that would like to play with them. I sent him a message back, saying, “Why don’t we organise some shows together?“, and he replied back, “Yeah, alright“, and that was pretty much it.

ADAM: But they were already playing the shows!

OWEN: Not this one, because we were booked to play here anyway. We’d heard that a band had had to pull out of this festival, and then I noticed that Greyhaven were playing some shows on the same weekend, so I messaged their promoter, asking them to get in touch with Harry Warren, who has organised today, and Alex sorted out everything else, because he’s a champ.

CHARLIE: Basically, it was put together by two bands. It was nothing to do with anyone else, it was literally two bands who were good mates, who just went, “Yeah, let’s go on tour”, so that was cool.

ADAM: We are in-de-pendent!

And how is the experience, for you all, of playing live and touring?

CHARLIE: To be fair, it’s good, even though it can get rather tiring, and you always seem to get ill, my throat’s dying.

GEORGE: We all get worried about different things, but that’s great. I enjoy it now a lot more than we did our first gigs, because there’s a lot of stuff that you eventually get used to, like what not to eat.

ADAM: I’ve noticed the difference when I’ve eaten well for two days straight.

CHARLIE: It’s not good having McDonald’s two days in a row.

GEORGE: Our sets may usually only be half an hour, but it’s still performance art, and it does take it out of you, so if you’re not eating well, it makes everything so much more difficult. Even though this is only our second tour, it feels different this time, and so far, it’s been more enjoyable.

OWEN: Depending on where and when you’re performing, we set off before eight this morning to get here, you’re doing stuff all day, then you’ve got to drive back, all go to your different homes, get into your bed, and then you go, “I can’t find the soap!”

(All laugh)

What are the band’s plans for the near future?

CHARLIE: We’re taking it as it goes, I suppose. We’re taking every opportunity that we can, basically. We’ve literally just come out of the studio, having been working on a new EP, and at the moment, we’re looking at PR for that, because that’s something we didn’t do last time, and we’re also looking at doing another tour, towards the end of this year.

We’re doing stuff that’s going to make us more active, and hopefully, we will be able to push our next EP a lot further than the last one.

ADAM: We can’t put a release date on it yet, but we’re currently aiming to get the EP out in the autumn.

Do you have a title for the EP yet?

ADAM: We have, but we’re not going to say it, because it may change between now and then. You’ll just have to wait for it.

‘CENTURIES’, THE LATEST SINGLE FROM AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS, TAKEN FROM THEIR DEBUT EP, ‘COLLIDE’, IS NOW AVAILABLE TO STREAM, DOWNLOAD OR PURCHASE FROM SPOTIFY, iTunes, APPLE MUSIC, GOOGLE PLAY, AND BANDCAMP.

Having met as music students at the University of Derby, By Design have been making the East Midlands city their home, establishing themselves on its rock scene with a metal sound influenced by the likes of Trivium, Bullet For My Valentine, and Lamb Of God.

Last year, there was a refresh to the band’s line-up, with two members departing, guitarist/backing vocalist Rob Fulton-Hamilton moving up to frontman, and Tony Keeys joining on bass.

They spoke to me about this, and more, with much openness and honesty, prior to their recent set at St Paddy’s Revenge in Derby, which was organised by the quartet’s guitarist/backing vocalist, Harry Warren.

How did the band first get together?

HARRY WARREN (guitar/backing vocals): Well, it was mine and Rob’s second year at uni, and we were going into the performance module of our music degree course.

We decided to get together for that, and then it eventually led to us playing gigs out of uni, and doing our own thing, along with our drummer, Ed, our old vocalist, and our old bassist.

From where did the name By Design originate?

ROB FULTON-HAMILTON (lead vocals/guitar): That was Harry’s idea.

HARRY: The name came from the TV show Hannibal. The detective in it, whenever he’s working through something, there’s this internal monologue going on, and at the end of it, he always says, “It was by design“, and I thought that was a really cool phrase.

ROB: Some actually think that we took the name from a song by Killswitch Engage, but we think that’s actually cool that they believe that.

What would you say was your approach to songwriting?

ROB: We have only recently, with the new line-up, started to write together. A lot of the songs that we have been playing consistently were written individually. Mostly, that will be the music, and then I’ll work out a vocal melody or various lyrics to put over the top.

I think me and Harry have fairly similar, but then, also different approaches to songwriting, because Harry can be quite melodic, I think, whereas I tend to go at it more aggressively, and at a faster pace.

You mentioned earlier that the band have a new line-up. For the guys who were with you before, what were their reasons for leaving?

ROB: Well, our old vocalist wasn’t able to find the time to practice, to be fully committed to the band, and we gave him enough opportunity to sort things out, but in the end, we made the decision to get rid of him, because it wasn’t going to work out.

Then, unfortunately, we started to get the same issues with our old bassist, he was just inconsistent, and he didn’t really care about the band, and it was around this time that we approached Tony.

It then all fell in place, Tony joined, and our old bassist left to carry on studying at university, and also to focus on his relationship with his fiancee.

How have you been settling into the band, Tony?

TONY KEEYS (bass): Yeah, it’s been pretty good so far. I’ve known Rob, Harry and Ed for a few years, as I was at uni around the same time, and I was good friends with them anyway, prior to joining the band.

I like them as musicians, as well, I can see they both have different songwriting styles, and I also like jamming with these guys, which we’ve been doing a lot of recently.

ROB: Since Tony joined, the rest of us have found that we’ve been enjoying ourselves more.

TONY: Yeah, we’ve gelled together really well, and for me, it doesn’t really feel like I’m the new guy at all.

The band are playing St Paddy’s Revenge in Derby later today, and you’ve also supported such outfits as InVisions, TheCityIsOurs, and Taken By The Tide. How is the experience, for you all, of playing live?

ROB: For me, it’s very liberating, as it’s been quite a change going from guitarist and backing vocalist to frontman, and I’ve found that’s given me more of a chance to just perform, and to give it absolutely everything at every show.

I’ve always found that when I get off stage, I feel that I could have given a bit more, and that my performance hasn’t been very good, so when I leave the stage and then collapse onto a heap on the floor, then I know I’ve tried my hardest.

HARRY: Yeah, that mirrors my thoughts as well. If you’re dead after playing a set, then you’ve done it right.

ROB: After performing, I tend to go into a phase of silence, I won’t want to speak to anyone, as I need at least half an hour just to settle down. I feel that if I’m relaxed and chatty after a set, then maybe I haven’t given it my all.

What are your plans for the near future?

ROB: We’re going to be recording an EP.

HARRY: Yeah.

ROB: We’re also looking to move out of Derby, reaching new towns and cities, and start working with other bands from those places, organising shows with them. Hopefully, we’ll also be going on tour, when we get the opportunity to do so.

What is the band’s long-term aim?

HARRY: To play as many shows for long as we can, for as long as it makes us happy.

ROB: Absolutely. I’ve always said, since we started this band, that we’re doing this for fun, and the moment it stops being like that for us, there really is no point in continuing.

With a mutual love of all things heavy and fast-paced, a motto, “Challenge oppression, pursue equality“, and a desire to spread a positive message in these uncertain times, London-based quintet COPE have already won praise from fans and critics alike with a politically-charged mixture of punk and hardcore.

Last year was difficult at times for the collective, with them facing quite a few trials and tribulations. However, they rose above it, releasing their second EP, ‘Tooth & Nail’, and playing a stellar headline set at north London venue Thousand Island.

In the midst of a mini-blizzard that engulfed Derby recently, where the guys were playing an all-day rock festival marking St Patrick’s Day, I chatted with their guitarist, Josh Bowles, and here’s what he had to say on matters concerning the band:

How did the band first get together?

We actually met on an online forum, but as it turns out, me, Adam, our bassist, and our original guitarist all kind of knew other, as I’m originally from Plymouth, Adam’s from Torquay, and our old guitarist was from Cornwall. We met the other guys online, as well.

From where did the name COPE originate?

I write the lyrics, so for me, I was doing that before the band had even formed, and it was a way of self-coping, and because our motto is “Challenge oppression, pursue equality“, our name is also an acronym.

Speaking of writing the lyrics, what would you say was your approach to songwriting?

Usually, Ed, our other guitarist, will put together a rough mix of drums and stuff that he will then send over to me, and I tend to write about what I’m annoyed about, more than anything else, what has annoyed me on that particular day. I don’t sit down to write lyrics, I’ll write them whenever they come into my head.

2017 was quite a turbulent year for the band, what with departures, trials, and tribulations. How did you all deal with that?

I guess we just had to get on with it, really. We still managed to put a record out, despite a couple of line-up changes. We also did some tours by ourselves, which was hard, but worth it.

We got through it all, because we believe in what we’re doing, and we’re just determined, I guess.

You released your second EP, ‘Tooth & Nail’, last October. How was the recording process for that?

Quick! It was done quite quickly, because we only had three days, which, you know, is enough time, but I wish we’d had more time to do some additional work on the vocals, as while we were recording, Tom, our vocalist, was rather ill, so it was a real push for him.

How well do you think the reaction was to the EP?

The reaction was good, and it was kind of what we had expected. There was nothing really negative, however, there were a few comments on production and stuff, which I can understand, but other than that, I think the EP had a really good response.

And the band launched ‘Tooth & Nail’ with a headline show at north London venue Thousand Island. How was that as an experience?

That was great, actually. It was really encouraging to know that people out there were willing to come and see us play midweek. I think we performed really well, and yeah, it seemed everyone there really enjoyed it.

You donated all of the proceeds from the EP to the Transgender Law Center, a charity that fights against transgender discrimination.

Yeah, we did. It’s a cause that we believe in, and I hope what we did encourages others to do the same.

Will you be planning to do something similar with future releases?

Yeah, definitely. We’re always up for donating to good causes that we believe in, playing charity shows, and we’ll always be happy to get stuck in.

The band have become known for their strong political beliefs. In your view, how has the current volatile political climate affected the music world in general?

Where do you start? I think a lot of people believe that politics and music should be separate, but I disagree. I think music is politics, and politics is music. Some say that “bad governments make great music“, and that’s true. Without all of the shit that’s going on currently, I think I’d be struggling for stuff to write about.

At the end of the day, I think there is a lot to be done, bands have this obligation to stick up for what they believe in. Whether their politics is right-wing, left-wing, whatever they are, I think they should still be involved in giving an opinion, and if you don’t vote, don’t voice your opinion, you really are a part of the problem within that.

You’ve been tipped for big things, and have been featured in Metal Hammer and Rock Sound magazines. That’s something you all must have been pleased about.

Yeah, definitely. Me and the other guys have grown up reading these magazines, so to have kind words written about us from them, it’s been really encouraging.

The band are playing St Paddy’s Revenge in Derby later today. How, for you all, is the experience of playing live?

We love it. We take a slightly different approach to our shows. Our music is quite serious in its content, so when we play live, we try to flip that over on its head, just have fun, and show crowds that it’s not all doom and gloom.

I mean we’re all still here, and we’re allowed to freely play a show. In Iraq, there is a band that have been persecuted for playing metal music, and I think in this country, we do take it for granted the freedoms that we have, because we can just come out here and play a set without fear of persecution, so it’s great, and we really love it.

What are your plans for the near future?

We’ve got a new release coming out soon, a single, and we’ll be releasing a video with that, too. Also, we’ll be touring again later this year, and we’re currently sorting out some festival stuff, so we should be out and about a bit more for the rest of 2018, fingers crossed, so yeah, hopefully, it will all go well.

‘TOOTH & NAIL’, THE SECOND EP FROM COPE, IS NOW AVAILABLE TO STREAM, DOWNLOAD OR PURCHASE FROM SPOTIFY, iTunes, APPLE MUSIC, GOOGLE PLAY, AMAZON MUSIC, DEEZER, BANDCAMP AND SOUNDCLOUD.

THE BAND WILL ALSO BE PLAYING A WEEKENDER WITH FROWN UPON THIS COMING WEEKEND. MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND BELOW:

The Lightness Of Being are an accomplished London-based alternative rock outfit, formed in 2010.

With key influences panning from Deftones, Queens of the Stone Age and Mastodon, through to At the Drive-In, the four-piece deliver a sound that is atmospheric, hefty and engulfing.

The band have just dropped a new track, ‘Cave’, and they release their new EP, ‘Diversions’, through all stores on Friday 1st June.

To date, the impressive quartet have brought out two EPs: ‘Directions’ and ‘Movements’, with both releases having helped to cement their place within the vibrant scene of the UK capital, with consecutive and constant shows around the city also assisting the band’s progress and growing fan base.

The Lightness Of Being are ripe to break out to the rest of the country and beyond with their new EP, ‘Diversions’. Comprised of three killer tracks, including their forthcoming single, ‘Bottomfeeder’, it is a record that demands your attention.

Sam West, guitarist from the band, elaborates on the direction of the new release: “‘Diversions’ is our third EP, and it’s a significant progression. It’s darker, dynamic, and certainly more unsettling than past releases. Tracks vary in pace and tone, from the metal-infused riffs and force of ‘Bottomfeeder’ to the fuzz-driven groove of ‘Refute’, and to the melancholy build and overdriven outro of ‘Cave’. It is a record that we are immensely proud of.”

‘DIVERSIONS’, THE THIRD EP FROM THE LIGHTNESS OF BEING, WILL BE RELEASED ON JUNE 1.

Fledgling Essex emo/post-hardcore quintet One Last Daybreak will be dropping their ball-busting debut EP, ‘A Thousand Thoughts’, on 7th April, and they have also just revealed a new single, ‘According to Pleasure, I Was Low on the Food Chain’.

Combining emotive drive with irresistible melodies and an edgy delivery, the young band wear their hearts on their sleeves, producing a sound that neatly melds genres, and in taking influence from everyone from My Chemical Romance and Architects, through to Underoath, the five-piece’s appeal is broad.

Featuring Connor Catchpole on vocals, Jack Smith on rhythm guitar and vocals, Matt Pike on lead guitar, James Hicks on bass, and James Hart on drums, One Last Daybreak were only officially formed at the start of this year, but they are already starting to etch their mark on proceedings.

They are now geared up to release their debut EP, ‘A Thousand Thoughts’, which is rammed with slamming guitar parts, immense drumming, and engaging vocal lines that nestle deep into your cranium.

The quintet’s new single, ‘According to Pleasure, I Was Low on the Food Chain’, opens the EP, and it’s an engrossing sampler and marker for the shape of things to come.

Another key highlight is the EP’s title track, which has already been earmarked as the collective’s next single. It’s easy to see why; with its anthemic refrain and clashing guitars, the track is ideal for radio, and will no doubt grace the airwaves during the coming weeks.

‘A THOUSAND THOUGHTS’, THE DEBUT EP FROM ONE LAST DAYBREAK, WILL BE RELEASED ON APRIL 7. YOU CAN PRE-ORDER IT NOW FROM iTunes AND BANDCAMP.